Students presenting in SecondLife - one last time!

The students from qualitative research methods during the Spring 2010 semester presented the results of their project during public talks in Second Life on our school island. They talked about art, music, games, dance clubs, tinies, anonymity, relationships, brands, real world architecture, and pregnancy in Second Life.  We have about 12 sessions total with usually two students presenting at a time. So far, we have had nice crowds at the sessions and I didn't have to eject anyone. Thanks to everyone who came out to listen and ask questions.

Here are a few pictures

From the relationship talk, here's what the presenter sees:

From one of the sports presentations, a view of one of the students and the images she used to illustrate her talk. She's wearing clothes she got at a tennis club in SecondLife.

More pictures can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kgregson/sets/72157623921898667/

End of the Semester - Post 1

IN the business of gaming class we had a play test session for our final. They had to turn in a short paper, but the focus was on games and donuts. One of the students in class - Mack Cameron - has developed a variety of board games in his spare time. So we play tested the Croquet game - actually based on croquet but with some very fun modifications - like being able to send the ball right at another player.  Lots of good violence and scheming was engaged in by all.

We also had a group playing Halo. We had hoped to play the Halo multiplayer beta but of course our wireless in the classroom wouldn't talk to the wireless receiver in the XBox. As the students said - what else is new.

Here are some pics of us having fun..ending up the semester as a pretty tight group that hopefully will do things together next year to make fun games.

More pics are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kgregson/sets/72157624046039808/

Not something a professor gets to do very often!

One of the students in my Qualitative Research Methods class is studying pregnancy in SecondLife. To get a better feel for what's involved, she became pregnant..yep..that's right. Her avatar got pregnant.

 She went thru several skins getting progressively more pregnant. They picked out the hair color and eyes for the baby. They went to several prenatal exams. She was weighed and had ultrasounds. ALl very much like real life.

And here's a picture of the happy couple with the baby girl which they named Adrianna...not Kim (hard to believe I know (laughs)